


Seasonal Feathers

by lessiehanamoray



Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, Marriage Proposal, Seasons, Shuake Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:35:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lessiehanamoray/pseuds/lessiehanamoray
Summary: Four scenes. Four important moments in the combined life of Goro Akechi and Akira Kurusu.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	Seasonal Feathers

####  **Autumn: Two Breaths Walking**

_ It’s lonely breathing alone so let’s “Two Breaths Walking” _

The stream tittered with each colorful leaf, as though the water itself was ticklish. A gentle breeze contributed to the tickling, brushing against the leaves to guide them to their final fall.

Goro Akechi leaned over the bridge slightly, staring into the laughing stream.

His reflection didn’t look like him at all. All the laughter and sparkling sunshine warped it, turned him into something he wasn’t.

“Did you wait long?”

Goro turned to regard Akira Kurusu, jogging across the bridge towards him. 

“Not particularly.” Honestly, Goro didn’t know how long he’d been waiting. How long he’d stared at his twisted, laughing, reflection.

“Good.” Akira smiled at him, a soft smile which put everyone around him at ease.

A dangerous smile.

Akira peered down into the water. “Huh. Fish.”

Goro peered down beside him. “I mostly see rotting leaves.”

“Floating leaves,” corrected Akira.

“They’ll sink.”

“Not if someone pulls them out.”

“The wind will just knock them back in.”

Akira looked up to the rustling trees. “It’s like an orchestra.”

“An orchestra?”

“Hmm. If we listened closely, do you think we could hear how every fallen leaf changes the timbre of the water?”

“How you even think things like that with a straight face astounds me.”

Akira shrugged. “Just honesty.”

“No. It’s far too poetic for honesty.”

Akira leaned forward over the rail, twisting himself to look innocently up at Goro’s face.

“Do you think I’m poetic?”

Goro sighed. “You’re usually terse. I like you better that way. But you have an interesting way of conveying your thoughts. Of doing everything.”

Akira leaned back again, stretching his arms on the rail.

“Even your movement’s poetic.”

Goro caught sight of Akira’s eyes widening behind his glasses. “My movement?”

Goro turned sharply away, feeling the heat rise to his face.

Akira wrapped his arms around Goro in a big over the shoulder hug. “Do you watch my every move?”

“Hardly.”

Akira rested his chin on Goro’s shoulder. “Come on, detective, be honest.”

Goro sunk back into the grip, slouching just a little so Akira could rest his head more comfortably. He still wasn’t used to this much physical contact. Wasn’t sure he’d ever be.

“Definitely.”

“Hmm?”

Goro slowly turned, tugging free of Akira’s grip as he did.

“Your every move,” he explained. “I definitely watch it. You’re understated, but elegant.”

“You’re understated.” Akira grinned. “But energetic.”

“Energetic?”

“Yeah. Energetic. You just don’t know how to direct it.”

Akira glanced down at the leaves floating down the stream.

“Like the wind.”

Goro once more headed to the rail to better peer down the small stream.

“The wind, huh?”

Akira moved to stand beside him. “And I’m the leaf.” 

“Hopefully, I don’t buffett you around so much.”

“I guess you’re right. Maybe...hmmm.”

“The tree.”

“Tree?”

Goro looked up at the branches singing in the wind.

“Yeah. You’re rooted in place, and yet you dance. Hardly anyone thinks you’re anything special in a crow, but when they get close enough to really look at you…”

A vibrant orange and red leaf floated down into the stream.

“They realize you are special. People come to bask in your shade. To lean against you. And you let them. And one day, you’ll even let me cut you down.”

“Not anymore.”

Goro turned his attention back to Akira. 

“I let you hold an axe to me once. That’s all the chances you get. Now?” Akira mulled it over a moment. “Now I want to be your air.”

“Be my air? And how do you propose to do that?”

Akira turned directly to Goro, facing him directly. 

“I’m a tree. You breathe into me. I breathe into you.”

He took a small step forward, eyes intense behind the lenses of his glasses.

“I want you to kiss me.”

Goro turned properly, looking straight on at Akira.

“Shall I cup your branches in my hands?”

“Only if I can twine my roots about you.”

Goro reached out to cup Akira’s chin in his hands. He had such smooth skin, and such thin yet perfectly shaped lips.

Akira closed his eyes.

Goro leaned forward and kissed him gently.

####  **Winter: Stay With me**

_ A white breath follows through just like all of the rest. Vanishing in time. _

Akira Kurusu shivered in the cold. No amount of warm clothing could make up for this. He glanced over to Goro Akechi, just ahead and to the right of him. He demanded cuddles after this.

Goro glanced back at him. “We’re almost there.”

They better be. For some reason when Goro had suggested they spend New Year’s in the mountain, Akira hadn’t planned for any serious nighttime hiking.

He thought about pulling out his phone to make sure he still had a signal, but the prospect of pulling his gloved hands out of his pockets was too horrific to suffer much consideration.

He and Goro followed an only vaguely marked path up one of the ridges. Apparently, it offered a pretty good view at the top.

At least the moon was full, reflecting its pale light off the snow and providing plenty of light. 

Goro wrapped around the path. Akira followed.

All he saw at the top of the bridge was more snow. And some trees. Sure, there was a valley down there, but he didn’t see any lights to indicate a home. Then again, it would make complete sense if any residents below were fast asleep.

He wanted to be.

A thick gloved hand reached under his chin, drawing Akira’s eyes skyward.

“There you go,” whispered Goro. Akira shuddered slightly from the sudden warmth against his ear.

And then he gasped as he took in the sight above him. Ten thousand stars shined down on them. He could even see the milky way bright and seemingly infinite. And yet…

A hand slowly slipped free of the warm confines of his pocket as Akira reached for the stars. They seemed so close.

Goro caught his hand, grabbing it in his own. Akira complied to Goro dragging his arm back down. 

He stared up at the sky, Goro Akechi behind him. Goro Akechi holding his hand. Goro Akechi looking up into the glimmering sky with him.

Something flashed in the sky, a shooting star unsure of its destination. Or maybe, it was just Akira who didn’t know.

He didn’t even care right now. Despite the thick fabric around them, Goro’s hand felt warm. 

“You can see the rabbit pounding mochi on the moon,” he whispered.

Akira heard Goro smirk behind him.

“In the West, they call it the man in the moon. Like it’s a face.”

Akira tilted his head. “I don’t see it.”

“I used to.”

“Used to?”

“I used to feel like someone was always watching me, and when I heard about the man on the moon, I wondered if it might be him.”

“How old were you?”

“I don’t remember, but it stuck. Until recently, I never could see the rabbit.”

Akira leaned back a little. Goro wrapped him in a warm embrace. Man it was nice dating someone taller than him. Okay, it was a tiny difference, but it was still nice.

“Imagine if you could steal the stars right from the sky,” he murmured.

“I don’t think even the thieves who steal hearts can do that.”

“I managed to steal your heart.”

“Yes. You did.”

Goro slid a hand back to his pockets. The shifting seemed to indicate he was rummaging around for something.

“I’m glad we’re doing this for New Year’s, Goro. Even if it’s freezing.”

“The cold takes the water out of the air,” Goro explained. “We see everything so clearly because it’s cold.”

Akira exhaled a long breath, watching the mist form and dissipate. “Even the air is ice.”

Goro slipped his arm back around Akira.

“Akira?”

“Hmm?”

Goro pressed something against Akira’s jacket.

“I can steal a star for you. And I don’t know how I stole your heart.”

Akira clasped a hand around Goro’s, and the small box wrapped inside it.

“But I play for keeps. You know that.”

“Goro?”

Akira could feel ice crystals forming on his eyelids

Goro released the box fully into Akira’s hand.

“I don’t want to lose you. And I know I’m paranoid sometimes. That I don’t always understand why you love me. How you can forgive me.”

Akira slowly lifted his other hand to crack open the box lid.

He knew a jewelry box when he saw it.

“I don’t want to be scared, Akira. I don’t want to worry I’ll lose you. I don’t ever want us to get separated again.”

It was like the shooting star he had seen earlier had landed in the small box and now shone from inside a stone encasing. Akira could barely see the surrounding stone in this light, but he could see the star trapped inside. He could…

Not see anything now. 

Sobs overtook Akira. He collapsed in the snow, Goro falling in right behind him. Goro making sure he didn’t hurt his knees. Goro holding him close.

Akira clutched the box and the ring inside tight against his chest.

“Uh, Akira? I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Akira shook his head, desperately trying to convey to Goro that he wasn’t upset.

“It’s…” 

Dammit, he did actions better than words. Akira turned his hips so he could look Goro in the face.

Goro gaped. It wasn’t like Akira to cry. Not like this.

“You, you’ll catch a cold crying like that.” He, almost desperately, wiped Akira’s tears away.

Akira leaned in and kissed him.

Goro froze.

And then, then he fell into it. Into the dance their tongues so often played.

When they separated, both breathed heavily. 

“Yes.”

Goro’s eyes widened.

“We’ll have to look at where it’s allowed, but yes. A thousand, ten thousand times, yes.”

Goro wrapped his arms tight around Akira. Akira held the ring close to his heart.

Close to both their hearts.

  
  


####  **Spring: Cherry Blossom Rain**

_ The wounds inflicted by our youth, but maybe now we’ve grown up. _

Goro Akechi forced himself to take a steadying breath. The man who stared back at him in the mirror; was that really him?

He and Akira had settled for a Western style wedding, and so he wore a white tuxedo with proper coattails. He had a red vest for good luck too. Akira, in a black suit, would wear a similar vest.

Goro grabbed his bouquet. Haru Okamura had grown all the flowers herself.

He couldn’t quite decide if he felt that was incredibly sweet, or if he should be checking for hidden explosives in the bouquet.

How’d he end up the blushing bride? Or with Ryuji Sakamoto as the best man at his wedding?

Not his best man, of course. But still. He didn’t know a lot of people himself, so most of the wedding party consisted of Akira’s friends.

Ultimately, it was just a small ceremony in Haru’s backyard. 

Thank goodness for that at least. Goro felt he might pass out from nervousness. He didn’t know how he’s handle a large event.

This was momentous enough without a huge crowd to witness it.

He was marrying the best man in the world. Today.

Someone knocked on the door.

Goro clutched his bouquet. “I’m ready.”

Was that his voice shaking?

He could see Makoto’s reflection when she walked in. She looked lovely in the red dress. It felt strange to think how low an opinion he had once had of her. Especially given she was technically his maid of honor.

Honestly, out of the Phantom Thieves, she was the only person besides Akira he trusted with complicated plans. And, despite himself, he respected her.

Even if she was training to become a cop. How she’d come to the conclusion that police work was the way to save the world in her time with the phantom thieves, he couldn’t fathom.

“You look lovely.”

She smiled at him. “Pretty sure that’s what I say to you.”

Goro turned to fully face her. “Is lovely really the correct term here?”

“Radiant,” corrected Makoto.

Goro lifted his bouquet up slightly to cover his face. 

“Are you ready to walk down the aisle?”

“How’d I end up being the one to walk down the aisle?”

“You’re both doing it.”

“He goes first though.”

“He really wanted to see you walk.”

Goro took a deep breath.

Makoto moved over to adjust his tuxedo.

“You really do look like a prince.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Heh. No.” Makoto stepped back to double-check her handiwork. “It suits you.”

She gently pinned on his corsage. 

“You ready to walk down the aisle?”

“More than I’ve ever been ready for anything.”

With a gentle smile, and even gentler eyes, Makoto took Goro’s hand. She led him out the room, his little sanctuary of wedding preparation, and down a short hallway. She stopped with Goro just behind her so he couldn’t see outside while she peered out for timing.

He could smell the flowers in Haru’s garden and hear the breeze dancing among the tree leaves.

It reminded him of the autumn day he had realized he wanted Akira Kurusu in his life forever.

Makoto lifted a small basket of flower petals.

Was it almost time already?

A piano arrangement of “No More What If’s”, one of his favorite songs, began to play.

Makoto stepped out with the basket. Goro stepped out not far behind her.

The wedding consisted of maybe two dozen people in total, almost all of whom Goro knew. Almost all of whom knew the horrible things he had done.

And had come to bless this marriage anyways.

Akira’s journalist friend, Ohya, moved around the rows of chairs in an attempt to snap the perfect picture. Ryuji stood nervously beside Akira, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

And Akira, beautiful Akira.

He wore a more traditionally black tuxedo, but with red inside of white for the highlights. His hair, always out of control, looked a little more intentionally shifted. Or maybe it just looked intentional because of the pink cherry blossoms against the black.

The breeze felt gently on Goro’s skin, but it was more than enough to keep petals in the air.

Makoto strode down the aisle, tossing more flower petals to the wind, scenting the air and turning the pink storm into a rainbow of petals.

When had his life ever been so magical?

Goro walked into the storm, heart thumping faster with each nervous step. By the time he reached Akira, he felt he might faint.

He’d run through this moment thousands of times in his mind. Gone over his vows so often he muttered them in his sleep.

And still he felt like he would soon explode.

The priest, apparently from a church Akira had once spent a good amount of time in, began the ceremony. At some point, Ryuji moved forward to give a quick speech. A little later and Makoto spoke.

Time to pay attention.

Goro gingerly took a silver cup from the make-shift altar Yusuke and Haru had set up.

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.” He took a sip of the drink inside, a sweet cocktail lovingly prepared by LaLa just for the wedding.

Akira wrapped his hand around Goro’s.

Akira continued. “Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine.”

With a smile that stretched from ear to ear and illuminated his eyes, Akira took a sip of the cocktail.

Then he gingerly grabbed a lit candle. 

“With this candle, I will light your way into darkness.”

Akira dipped the candle into the liquid remaining in the chalice. It fizzled out, but that was okay.

Because now, Akira was his light.

Goro gently set the chalice back down. They’d agreed that since he had proposed, Akira got to place the ring at the wedding.

Ryuji stepped forward, two fine silver rings presented carefully in his cupped hands.

Akira took the top ring. Small diamonds glittered like stars along the band.

“With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”

He slipped the ring on Goro’s finger.

Goro gingerly took the other ring.

“And with this ring, I accept a lifetime beside you.”

He nervously slipped the band onto Akira’s slender finger.

The priest smiled at them. “You may now kiss, and be joined in a lifetime of happiness.”

####  **Summer: Fire Flower**

_ If the end of the world was here right now, I’d ditch everything and the two of us would be together forever. _

Goro Kurusu sat on the edge of the riverbank, legs dangling over the side as he looked up to the sky. You couldn’t really see stars in the city, but soon flowers would illuminate the night sky.

He gingerly fingered the cherry blossom pendant Akira had given him at the festival earlier in the day.

For once in his life, he felt he’d actually made the right decision. Not just a reasonable decision, but truly and completely the right one.

Proposing to Akira under that starry sky was the best decision he had ever made.

A high-pitched voice called out from behind him. “Goro!”

Well, maybe second best.

Goro grinned as his six year old son barrelled into him. He and Akira had adopted Taro only a few months ago, and already he couldn’t imagine life without the boy.

“I see you scoped out a good spot for us.”

Akira sat down beside his husband, leaving just enough room for Taro to sit between them. He held out a little paper container with dango inside.

“Ahh!” prompted Goro.

Akira chuckled slightly before sliding a gooey rice ball in Goro’s mouth. Goro bit down almost immediately to make sure the whole skewer didn’t go in.

“I want some. Ah. Ah. Ah.”

Now Akira broke into full laughter.

“You ate yours on the way back.”

“Awww.”

Akira slumped his head in defeat and handed Taro one of the three sticks of fresh dango.

“Fine, but this is it.”

Taro did a little dance as he took it.

Goro reached up for his son’s shoulder, slowly shoving him to the ground.

“It’s so good!”

Akira handed Goro the two pieces left on the skewer he’d already taken one from. 

“Guess it’s one skewer each.”

“You spoil him too much.”

“It’s a festival.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to deal with a sugar crash.”

“I won’t crash!” complained Taro, muffled thanks to a mouthful of dango.

“Yes, you will.”

Taro looked up at Goro with his wide-eyes. Goro took another bite off his own skewer.

He and Akira had worked hard to adopt a child. It wasn’t legally for men to adopt in most of Japan, and they had been fought every step of the way.

But then, Goro had met Taro. 

Taro’s mother had recently committed suicide when they met. Like Goro’s mother, she’d been disowned and shamed for having an illegitimate child before the age of twenty.

Goro knew the kind of stigma which threatened to follow the kid his whole life because of both the suicide and his mother’s desperate acts leading up to it. She’d been more violent than Goro’s own mother, more prone to hurting her own child.

According to Taro’s therapist, she had likely meant to kill her son in her suicide too, and he had some lung damage from breathing in the harmful chemicals.

Bless that particular therapist though. When she’d gone through Goro and Akira’s profiles. When she’d heard that Goro wanted to adopt him so he could have the stable life he never had, she’d joined the fight right with them.

Goro wasn’t sure, but he had a sneaking suspicion she had threatened serious physical harm to the head of Child Welfare in their ward.

Whatever the case, between her and Sae, they’d found the loophole they needed to adopt Taro.

And Goro couldn’t be happier.

He had a family. A real family.

A sudden boom brought the crowd around them to sudden silence, so quiet you could hear the hiss of the rocket ascending into the sky.

Colorful lights spiraled in the sky.

“Wow,” whispered Taro. Goro leaned back.

The first flower erupted. The crowd cheered. Taro clapped and cheered right with them.

A warm hand touched Goro’s. He glanced to the side and smiled at Akira. They were safe here. Couples often expressed affection at fireworks shows, and all their neighbors had been great.

Goro knew some people were a little surprised at fire, but anyone he and Akira interacted with for any amount of time seemed to accept them for who they were. And that their love for each other, and for Taro, was genuine.

Goro laced his fingers with Akira’s.

A big set of fireworks followed the initial announcement, like a taste of the grand finale to come.

Taro jumped to his feet. Each blast of fire highlighted the huge grin on his face.

Goro found himself smiling at Taro at least as often as he looked up to the fireworks. The few glances he cast Akira’s way, confirmed he wasn’t the only one either.

And to his enthusiasm, Taro stood for the whole show, cheering with everyone else when a particularly spectacular display went off.

And then it was gone. Taro fell back to the ground, back caught by his father’s arms before he could fall on his back. He wheezed for breath, but continued to grin.

“Don’t wear yourself out so much.”

“I’m...huff...fine.”

Goro stood. Without a word, he lifted Taro into his arms and swung him onto his back.

“Why don’t you ride home?”

Akira helped adjust Goro’s arms so they wouldn’t fall off during the walk.

Taro hugged him close.

Akira and Goro began to walk then, Akira close to Goro’s side as they wove through the dispersing crowd. Not long passed before Goro felt Taro grow significantly heavy, now a deadweight as he fell asleep.

“I knew he’d crash.”

“Who knew all those years of bouldering were to better carry a kid on your back?”

“You’re not out of rock climbing. Another year or two and Taro can come to the gym with us. We might have to set him up with other activities, but I won’t have him becoming a potato.”

Akira chuckled.

“I wonder if the others watched fireworks tonight?”

“Who knows?” Goro shifted Taro slightly on his back.

“I can’t wait for all our kids to play together.”

“That sounds like chaos incarnate.”

“You should love it then.”

“I suppose.” Goro took a deep breath. “Hey, I know it’s super extra hard for us to adopt, but do you think Taro would like a sibling?”

“You mean adopt another kid?”

“Yeah.”

“I’d have to think about it.”

“That’s fair. Everything feels so perfect right now. It’s hard to imagine it could somehow improve.”

“You could get that novel published,” offered Akira.

“Stop heckling me. Getting your first work out there isn’t easy.”

“Just teasing. I know you will.”

Akira and Goro walked in silence for the last few blocks to their home, a nice-sized apartment in a nine-story building. Akira took Taro in his arms for the climb up the stairs to the fifth floor.

Together, they put their exhausted son to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> All the italicized sections are English translated lyrics from the Vocaloid song I used for a title.


End file.
